Method and apparatus for assigning data traffic classes to virtual channels in communications networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus for assigning data traffic classes to virtual channels in communications networks is generally described. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a node receiving a data packet including content to initialize a virtual channel on a point-to-point communication link to another node, initializing the virtual channel, based on the content, and mapping a data traffic class to the initialized virtual channel.

1 . In a node, a method comprising: 
 receiving a data packet that includes content to initialize a virtual channel on a point-to-point communication link to another node;    initializing the virtual channel on the point-to-point communication link, based on the content; and    mapping a data traffic class to the initialized virtual channel.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the content indicates whether the other node transmitting the received data packet has queue resources to support a virtual channel of a given type on the point-to-point communication link.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein initializing the virtual channel comprises initializing a bypass capable virtual channel that is supported by an ordered queue and a bypass queue.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein initializing the virtual channel comprises initializing the virtual channel if the received data packet content indicates the other node transmitting the received data packet has adequate queue resources to support a bypass and an ordered queue on the virtual channel.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein initializing the virtual channel comprises the node allocating queue resources to support the ordered and the bypass queue on the virtual channel.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 2  further comprising: 
 supporting a virtual channel of a given type that comprises a bypass capable virtual channel having queue resources to support both an ordered and a bypass queue on the virtual channel, wherein receiving a data packet comprises receiving a data packet that includes content indicating the other node only has queue resources to support an ordered queue on the virtual channel; and    initializing the virtual channel to only use the queue resources to support the ordered s queue on the virtual channel.    
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mapping of the data traffic class to the virtual channel comprises assigning the data traffic class to the virtual channel based on a mapping table.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the mapping table comprises at least one statically determined entry.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the data traffic class comprises the data traffic class classified based on the data traffic class' level of priority as compared to other data traffic classes transmitted on the point-to-point communication link.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the virtual channel of a given type comprises a multicast capable virtual channel that is supported by a multicast queue.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein initializing the virtual channel comprises initializing the virtual channel if the received data packet content indicates the other node transmitting the received data packet has adequate queue resources to support a multicast queue.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein initializing comprises the node allocating queue resources to support the multicast queue on the virtual channel.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 1 , implemented within the node without external software.  
   
   
       14 . In a node, a method comprising: 
 receiving on a point-to-point communication link with another node a data packet that includes content indicating a virtual channel of a given type via which to route the data packet;    routing the data packet through the virtual channel of the given type on a point-to-point communication link with another node based on the content.    
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the data packet content indicates a bypass capable virtual channel that includes a bypass queue and an ordered queue.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein a data traffic class is classified based on a priority of the data traffic class as compared to other data traffic classes transmitted on the point-to-point communication link.  
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 reading a mapping table stored in a memory, the mapping table including entries for assigning the data traffic class to the bypass capable virtual channel; and    routing the data packet through the bypass capable virtual channel based on the mapping table.    
   
   
       18 . A node comprising: 
 a queue resource; and    a virtual channel manager to allocate the queue resource to support a virtual channel on a point-to-point communication link with another node, based on content in a data packet received from the other node.    
   
   
       19 . A node according to  claim 18 , wherein the virtual channel manager maps data differentiated into data traffic classes to the initialized virtual channel.  
   
   
       20 . A node according to  claim 18 , wherein the virtual channel manager allocates at least a portion of the queue resource from a memory coupled to the node.  
   
   
       21 . A node according to  claim 18 , the node further comprising: 
 a memory to store executable content; and    a control logic, communicatively coupled with the memory, to execute the executable content, to implement an instance of the virtual channel manager.    
   
   
       22 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a node; and;    a virtual channel manager to route a data packet through an initialized virtual channel on a point-to-point communication link with another node, based on content in a data packet received from the other node on the point-to-point communication link.    
   
   
       23 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the one or more initialized virtual channels includes a virtual channel of a given type that comprises a bypass capable virtual channel that has allocated queue resources to support both an ordered queue and a bypass queue.  
   
   
       24 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the data packet comprises data packet content associated with a data traffic class, the data traffic class based on a priority of the data traffic class as compared to other data traffic classes transmitted on the point-to-point communication link.  
   
   
       25 . An apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the virtual channel manager routes a data packet based, at least in part, on a mapping table stored in a memory coupled to the node, the mapping table comprising entries for assigning the data traffic class to the one or more initialized virtual channels.  
   
   
       26 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , the node further comprising: 
 a memory to store executable content; and    a control logic, communicatively coupled with the memory, to execute of the executable content, to implement an instance of the virtual channel manager.    
   
   
       27 . A system comprising: 
 a node;    a volatile memory including queue resources; and    a virtual channel manager, to allocate the queue resources to support a virtual channel on a point-to-point communication link with another node, based on the reading of received data packet content from the other node.    
   
   
       28 . A system according to  claim 27 , wherein the received data packet content indicates whether the other node supports a virtual channel of a given type associated with the virtual channel.  
   
   
       29 . A system according to  claim 28 , wherein the virtual channel of a given type comprises a bypass capable virtual channel having queue resources to support both a bypass and an ordered queue.  
   
   
       30 . A system according to  claim 29 , wherein the virtual channel manager initializes the virtual channel if the received data packet content indicates the other node has adequate queue resources to support a bypass and an ordered queue on the virtual channel.  
   
   
       31 . A system according to  claim 30 , wherein the virtual channel is supported by the virtual channel manager allocating at least a portion of the queue resources included in the volatile memory to the ordered queue and the bypass queue.  
   
   
       32 . A system comprising: 
 a node including volatile memory; and    a virtual channel manager, coupled to the node to route data associated with a data traffic class through an initialized virtual channel on a point-to-point communication link with another node, based on content in a received data packet from the other node.    
   
   
       33 . A system according to  claim 32 , wherein the received data packet content indicates routing the data through a virtual channel of a given type that comprises a bypass capable virtual channel.  
   
   
       34 . A system according to  claim 32 , wherein the data is routed based, at least in part, on a mapping table stored in the volatile memory.  
   
   
       35 . A system according to  claim 34 , wherein the mapping table comprises entries to assign the data traffic class to the initialized virtual channel.  
   
   
       36 . A storage medium comprising content, which, when executed by a node, causes the node to: 
 receive a data packet that includes content to initialize a virtual channel on a point-to-point communication link to another node;    initialize the virtual channel on the point-to-point communication link, based on the content; and    map a data traffic class to the initialized virtual channel.    
   
   
       37 . A storage medium according to  claim 37 , wherein the content indicates whether the other node transmitting the received data packet has queue resources to support a virtual channel of a given type on the point-to-point communication link.  
   
   
       38 . A storage medium according to  claim 37 , wherein to initialize the virtual channel comprises to initialize the virtual channel if the received data packet content indicates the other node transmitting the received data packet has adequate queue resources to support a bypass and an ordered queue on the virtual channel.  
   
   
       39 . A storage medium comprising content, which when executed by a node, causes the node to: 
 receive on a point-to-point communication link with another node a data packet that includes content indicating a virtual channel of a given type via which to route the data packet;    route the data packet through the virtual channel of the given type on a point-to-point communication link with another node based on the content.    
   
   
       40 . A storage medium according to  claim 39 , wherein the data packet content indicates a bypass capable virtual channel that includes a bypass queue and an ordered queue.  
   
   
       41 . A storage medium according to claim  42 , further comprising: 
 read a mapping table stored in a memory, the mapping table including entries for assigning the data traffic class to the bypass capable virtual channel; and    route the data packet through the bypass capable virtual channel based on the mapping table.